|
Lileks: "'nothing changes' is a sad gust of defeat. Things change, all right."
This interview with Monty Pythons Terry Jones was interesting, inasmuch as Jones doesnt venture into batshite unfunny jackassery as he seems wont to do these days. But he says:I think my reading of the Middle Ages made me more politically conscious. I see the same people seeking power, and using the same techniques to keep power, whether it be propaganda, media control or religion. We all learned in school about Pope Gregory VIIs canny use of the media, particularly his MTV-style illuminated books which employeed quick cuts and flashes of imagery and only took seven years to draw. The one thing that is certain is that people don't change and the same untruths and reasons for going to war, for example, prevail now as they always did. In the late 14th century, Richard II tried to establish peace with France, but this flew in the face of the interests of those barons who made their money out of warfare, and who were adamantly opposed to Richard and who, in the end, managed to depose and murder him so that they could carry on making money despite the bloodshed and destruction. Nothing changes. Well, if thats what Mr. Jones says, that must be so. Didnt have anything to do with undue taxation or the execution of his enemies, abolition of consulting bodies, succession issues, and generally irritation of the rest of the nobility. He wanted peace, and was killed, and so the war in Vietnam ground on for another oh, right. I agree with Mr. Jones; Human nature is immutable, damn the luck although I suspect a great many of Mr. Jones prescriptions rely on its endless mutability but the nature and quality of societies change, which is why Tony Blair left office on his feet instead of being dragged into the public square to have his bowels unspooled, and Mr. Jones himself who believes Chaucer was assassinated for political reasons can speak his mind without fearing for his life. Especially since he took the right side on the matter of the Crusades those rude God-bothering popish maniacs blundering into the civilized gardens of Islam, ad so on. What it is with these guys? You point out that America was the first nation to land on the moon, and they nod and say yes, well, the Sumerians first described the moons orbit 2000 years ago. Perhaps, but thats like saying that marrying Sophia Loren is an equal accomplishment to watching her walk across the street. Historical perspective is one thing. But nothing changes is a sad gust of defeat. Things change, all right. Just wait. Posted by: Mike 2007-10-05 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=201366 |